Ahmed Aliyu Wadada’s Journey From Banking & Business to the Senate

Ahmed Aliyu Wadada from Keffi has carved a path defined by bold moves and shifting allegiances and now stands as Senator for Nasarawa West.

Ahmed Aliyu Wadada is a Nigerian politician currently serving as the Senator for the Nasarawa West Senatorial District. He is known for switching from the APC to the SDP, pulling off an upset win in 2023, and recently signalling a return to the APC fold.

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Wadada was born on 15 October 1964 in Keffi, Keffi LGA, Nasarawa State. His early education took place locally and then at Government Secondary School, Miango, in Plateau State, where he obtained his West African School Certificate. 

He proceeded to the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa, earning a National Diploma in Business Administration in 1987 and a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Business Administration & Management in 1993.

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Before fully engaging in politics, Wadada worked in banking and business:

• Senior Clerk at United Bank for Africa (UBA) in the early 1990s.
  

• Procurement Officer during his NYSC at Benue Cement Company, Gboko.
  

• Distribution Manager at Kano Tobacco Distribution Company around 1996‑97.

These experiences gave him administrative experience and exposure to business and logistics operations.

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In 2003, Wadada made the move into elective politics when he won a seat in the House of Representatives representing Keffi/Karu/Kokona Federal Constituency.

This marked the first major shift: from business operator to public office holder. His time in the lower chamber gave him the base and visibility he needed.

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His trajectory since then reflects strategy, ambition and opportunism:

• House of Representatives (2003–2011+): For multiple years, he held the federal legislative seat and built name recognition, constituency ties and a political network.
  

• Switch of Party / Senatorial Bid (2022‑23): While once in the ruling APC, Wadada left, citing irregular primaries in his senatorial contest, moved to the SDP, and then won the Nasarawa West seat in February 2023. This was widely seen as a major upset in a zone considered the domain of the APC.
  

• Senator for Nasarawa West (2023‑Present): In the 10th National Assembly, Wadada currently serves under the SDP banner (though his return to APC has been formally signalled).

Wadada’s tenure has included both legislative effort and constituency engagement. For example, in June 2024, he urged the Nasarawa State Government to “pay attention to the Abuja corridors… if Nasarawa State will take advantage of the proximity to Abuja… it will do a lot for the state government.”

In May 2025, he visited the Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC) at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, donated a vehicle and flagged off community‑vocational training for youth empowerment. Entrepreneurship Development Centre.

Then in August 2025, he was turbaned as Magajin Dangin Lafia, an honour rooted in tradition, with the presidency noting that it “recognises his commitment to public service, his deep‑rooted connection to his people, and his longstanding contributions.”

And in October 2025, an event at Lafia officially presented him as the APC’s likely torchbearer ahead of 2027, with the report stating:

On the political front, he has not shied away from stirring debate: In a 2 November 2025 commentary, he declared zoning “is not part and parcel of my politics” while stressing the need for merit.

He also publicly cautioned against seasonal politicians at his Keffi Polo Ranch gathering, rewarding loyal supporters with ₦20 million and emphasising that “true leadership should be built on competence, vision, and verifiable achievements rather than empty promises.”

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Wadada is married to Hajiya Maryam Wadada and has a son, Abubakar Wadada, who bagged his Master's degree in Marketing from a United Kingdom-based institution. He is a devout Muslim. 

Away from the halls of power, he is noted for remaining rooted in his constituency, showing up at town meetings, cultural events and local processions. 

For instance, during the Keffi Emirate parade, he joined traditional title‑holders and took a procession through key junctions in Keffi town as a sign of his visibility among the community. 

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Precise financial disclosure is none too clear, but third‑party media estimate his net worth to be around US$1 million. 

He reportedly owns a polo ranch in Keffi and some real estate holdings in Nasarawa State, a sign of business interests beyond politics. 

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Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada’s journey from Keffi to Abuja, from banker to lawmaker, captures the dynamism and unpredictability of Nigeria’s political terrain. 

He is best known for the surprise win in 2023, for his community presence, and for the strategic repositioning that sees him now aligned once more with the APC and eyeing 2027.